davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Personal Liberty.

The blindest Of the blind are those who will
not see that the Personal Liberty movement
in it's present form is but the forerlllner of n
mighty assault upon the system of legal re-
straint which society, acting under the in-
boldly announce that this is but the beginning
of a warfare which is 20 be thrust upon the
people i'll the campaign for the next legisla-
ture, and TO evade it OF temper re with 1t
now is only TO encourage and invite to
more desperate effort next year. The voter
who fails to catch the true meaning Of the
Personal Liberty movement has only his
stupidity or stutbornncss to blame for it. 1t
means, as it's leaders unhesitatingly proclaim
that the Sunday laws must be abolished !;
that the saloons shall have the right to do
business seven days in the week, and that the
high-license act shall be repealed.-Phtiadel-
ohia Press.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07

Iast ta6ie without her Trumpet. She dld
not seem troubled at forgetting it, but
| adjusting her glasses inspected the bill OF
fare and ordered breakfast, concluding
| with request for some fishballs.
"Three amt any fishballs, ma'am, "said
the waiter, respectfully.
81 prefer them done brown, "she said.
'There amt any fishballs this morn.
ing"
"And wish you would tell the cook
not to fry them in lard. Use little piece
of salt pork"
"There amt any"
"And wait moment. Tell her to be
very careful not to use halibut for fish
balls instead of Goldfish. understand
it is frequently DONE"
"Thcre amt any tishballs to-day" re-
peatcd the waiter in loud tones.
"You really ought not to serve fish
balls every day, john" she said, pleas
antly. THE old New England way was
to have them for Sunday breakfasts
"There amt any tishballs," shouted
the waiter.
"Yes, serve them with parsley"
The unfortunate waiter glanced help
lessly about, aud then bending down to
the old lady's ear, in tones that pro-
claimed it to the entire dining room, he
roared out again: "There amt no fish
balls to-day!"
"Why didn't you say so, then9 John,"
she added, gazing at the flushed waiter
severely over her spectacles, 81 think you
have been drinking. You have been
muttering to yourself there for the last
five minutes. Never Eind about the fish
balls, but l shall report you to the clerk"
-Nsw York Tribune.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
A Fifty-One Pound Gold Nugget.

A Ballarat (Australia) letter to the
Melbourne Argus, says: This morning
an extraordinary incident in the recent
mining history of the colony occurred,
when an immense nugget, weighing
about ffty-one pounds, Of pure gold,
was unearthed in the now famous Midas
mine at Sulky Gully. This mine is on
the property of Sir William Clarke, known
as Bowling Forest, and on several
occasions lately nuggets varying in size,
though small, have been obtained. To-
days discovery, however, eclipses any
thing of the kind that has been known
in Victoria for many years. The news
of it created considerable excitement in
this city. The first public information
was obtained in q rather curious manner.
A man was observed by large crowd OF
shareholders, who congregate on the cor
ner, to be walking down Sturtstreet, carry
ing sack containing what to appear
ance was like small pig; but his strange
burden was found to be the nugget, and
he was followed by an excited and
questioning crowd.
The nugget is fat and has something
the contour of colossal hand held open,
with the thumb and fingers close to-
gether. Its greatest length is 12t inches.
and breadth 81 inches, and it varies in
thickness up to 21 inches. 1t is ap-
parently pure gold, and weighs GIT
ounces. 1t was found in the northwest
main drive, in the direction of the No. 2
drive, 12O feet from the surface, and at u
spot so feet from where the Lady
Brassey nugget was recently found. A
cast will be taken of the nugget before it
is broken up. 1t is estimated to contain
81 pounds of pure gold, worth about
e51 per pound, and the find represents
an addition to the company's revenue OF
G2,6OO (about $13, ,000).
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Getting Ready for It.

We have more than once called attention
to the danger that "the Week of Prayer"
which our churches are accustomed to OBJ
serve at the opening Of the new year, may de-
generate into sort of Protestant Lent-a
hollow and heartless bit Of religious formal
ism, followed, so far as it is followed, at all,
by the simulacrum Of a revival, an unsub-
stantial and illusory "work Of grace"
We have done this through no disposition
to throw discredit on the Week Of Prayer,
or to interfere in the least with its observ-
ance. Realizing, however, the tendency Of
all stated religious exercises to drift into
Journalism, and believing that we detected a
special tendancy in this direction, so far as
the Week of Prayer is concerned, we have
to avert the danger that we feared.
We bring to our readers now an absolute
specific for that danger, which we gathered
from the prayer-meeting talk of good
brother two or three weeks ago. II suppose
we are to have Week Of Prayer pretty
soon," he said, "and I am getting ready for
it." Ahl we thought there is the remedy
against any possible degeneration Of the
Week of Prayer into bit of non-ritual ritu-
alism. If week Of public prayer can be
superinduced upon two or three months Of
private preparation for it by the individual !
members of our churches, what blessing it
will be to our churches. Following the
Christmas holidays, very much as the Roman
Catholic Lent follows the Carnival, the sea-
son especially set apart for devo-
tion too frequently finds our churches
more than ordinarily unprepared
for special religious effort Half Of the
Week Of Prayer is practically wasted in do
ing work which might good deal better be
done in the closet and about the family altar.
AS the period set apart for special prayer
draws to close, how often is the remark heard
"Why, we are just getting ready to enjoy it
and be benefited by it." Might we not, and
should we not, bring to the Week of Prayer
a greater degree Of readiness to receive a
blessing from ita Is there not practical sug
gestion that is worth thinking about in our
brothers. remark: "I suppose we are to have
Week Of Prayer pretty soon; and I am
getting ready for it"a--lE1aminer and
Chronicle.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Tho Far Trumpet Was Missing.

An'honored guest at one of the up,
town hotels recently was a portly and
dignificd old lady. She was dressed in
rustling black silk, and stiff white cap,
and even the clerk was awed by her
presence and conversation. 1t was a
b;ghly edifylng sight at meal hours to
wst,h the head waiter obscquiousy con-
veying this piece Of ancient rcspctability
across the dining hall to seat. IncreaS-
ine deafness led the old lady always to
carry car an car trumpet with her: but the
nrcscncc of that implement did not de-
tract from the impressivencss of the
scene. The ceremony OF seating having
her meal, and the waiter having humbly
dropped q few words of explanation or
suggestion into the business end of the
trumpet, would depart on his mission:
1t happened, however, few mornings
ago that the old lady reached the break
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
RELIGIOUS READING.
Thanksgiving Hymn.

Once more the rolling year brings round
The day when festal joys abound;
Our land, from East to Western sea,
Sends up united praise to Thee.
Why should we thank Thee, Lord Of alli
What are Thy gifts that daily fall
And yearly crown us with their store,
That we have oft received before!
These are Thy giftsl We thank Thee, Lord
For harvests yielding rich reward;
For orchards fruitage, full and free,
And plenty s reign from sea to sea.
We thank Thee, Lord, that peace is ours;
That DER our land no war-cloud lowers;
That we have rulers strong in right
Who rule our nation in Thy sight.
We thank Thee, Lord, for evil crushed,
That wives and mothers bowed in dust,
May hail the dawn Of that glad hour,
That breaks in twain the rum-fend's power.
We thank Thee, Lord, for friendship spared
For dear love given, taken, shared;
For infant treasures lent us here,
For sweet home-fres to bless and cheer.
Help us to say, "We thank Thee, Lord"
When dear graves dot the mosSy sward;
When hopes lie buried meath the sod,
and we are crushed by Thy stern rod.
Help us to praise in hours Of pain,
With quivering heart and throbbing brain;
When weak, pale hanls close folded ie
While all the world goes hurrying by.
So we would thank Thee, Lord Of all,
For every gift Thy hand let's fall,
For joy, for sorrow, pleasure, pain,
Let all Thy people say, "AmenP
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
The Ouail.Eating Falla cy.

A leading New York physician, well
known not only as an able surgeon, but
an advanced scientist, ridicules the idea
that it is at all difficult for any one to
cat single or more quail for any glven,
number of days. He says that game; OF
any kind may be eaten as a steady dict
lust us we'll us can beef or pork. Tie cites
the fact that sailors eat salt pork "a
pound a day for 1000 days.and what,
he adds, is worse than sailors pork'
During his active connection with the
army in the West, many years ago, he
ate at e prairie chicken every day for months,
and was glad to get it, and subsequently
ate sagc-hcns for long time, and did not
get sick or become nauseated. He con-
cludcs by saying that the mental dis
turbance caused by the fear of not being
able to cat quail day for a given time,
on a wager, is all that there is in the pre-!
vailing idea in not being able to do it.
New Jrleans Times-Democr1t.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Prohibition in Rhode Island.

DIR. D. A. Whedon. of Providence, r l., In
late letter to the Northern Christian Ad-
vocdte, gives an interesting account OF the
origin Of the movement for constitutional
prohibition in that State, of its adoption by
the popular vote, of the subsequent action OF
the Legislature, of the hostility of the Provl.
dence Journal to prohibition and to Chief
Brayton, of the obstacles in the way of en-
forcemcnt, and also Of the gratifying success
of the prohibitory law despite the opposition
of the liquor-men and their political allies
We quote from this letter as follows:
"The report has gone abroad that prohloi-
tion in Rhode Island is failure. Last week
was in Newport, the only town in the world
where I have ever seen q Haunting liquor
banner flung across the chief business street,
and no open saloon greeted my vision. The
reformation extends throughout the State
We here think it great gain over our former
experience. At the same time it must De
confessed that the success has not been such
as fair trial of the law would have given,
or as we expect in the future. :"
After referring to the political conflicts the
change of administration, the resignation OF
BYaytCn, and the appointment of the present
Chief Curtis, he writes:
'It is true from April until near July there
was great laxity in tho enforcement OF the
law. Great doubt existed as to what the May
Legislature would do; everybody was waiting,
and the newspapers were pounding the law
and the lawmakers. Mo; cover, Mr. Gurus
required time to learn mis- duties and powers,
and would not move until he was equipped
and ready. This was the worst period OF the
year, the period in which the loudest aSser.
tio1s were made of the free and open sale or
liquors. They were not true. One or the
surest tests is in the comparison OF arrests Tor
three months ending July /, 1887, with cor
responding period Of the preceding year
under licsnse. The comparison shows de-
crease of arrests, as follows:
"Chief Curtis got fairly at work in July.
Thirty.tive raids in one day with search
warrants convinced the public, and especially
the dealers, that he meant business. Inc
liquors thus seized are assayed, and II con-
denlned destroyed. The owner is then ar
rested for keeping for SALE and when that Is
disposed of he is arrested again for maintain
ing nuisance Thus in one way or another
about 2O0 cases, involving as many features
of law as possible, will be ready for the Sep
tember and December courts. The traffic ls
triven from the pubic gaze and compelled TO
hide itself and do its vile work in secret This
is no small gain. And the reader may be as
sured that the law is now as honestly en-
forced as is any other on the statute-book.
There is, however, much work to be done,
and there is fixed purpose to do it as far as
the machinery Of the law will 60. Mean
while it will probably continue to be said THAT
more rum is sold than ever If so why the
anti-temperance cry against the lawF
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
The Fathers Complaint.

A tall Missourian called at the district
school and, cycling the teacher sternly,
said:
"My boy Henry tells me you whipped
him last evening""
eyes," assented the teacher, edgiug
toward the door, "but he deserved it, [
assure you."
"And he says you used rawhide on
him,"
"Yes, sir, but"
"And you slapped him with your
hands as well?'
II did, but 1 assure you-"
"Assure nothin'. Let me give you O
pointer. When you have to punish that
boy use club. He doesn't care for raw
hides. ."-Ne6raska iS.ate Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
At Three in the Morning.

He was leaning agninst the lamp-post,
and the watchful guardian of the night
came up very respectfully.
"Fine night, Mr.. Jones'"
"Bootiful.n
"You're out rather late, amt you'"
"No no-about my usual time"
care you waiting for somebody?"
"No, ao-going home. A little tired,
that's all; little tired"
"Ill walk down with you and see you
to your door,"
"Thank you, thank you, but there's no
need. The other side of the block will
be round this way in a moment, and I'll
lust pop in when my door comes along.
Thank you. Good night.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
A Barkeepsr's Admission.

a bartender of wide experience mournfully
admits that the temperance movement has
reached tho rum shops. He says:
Il have noticed that drinkers on the aver
age pour out less than they did: l have
tended bar in nearly every tirst-class hotel
in the country, and used to run on the lower
Mississippi river The drinks that l have
seen poured out would stagger me, nlid |
to take it straight 1t is seldom now that
YOU hear man ask for whiskey straight. 1t
is something on the sde or little sugar and
water. nave noticed this tendency 10 kim
Of weaken liquor for long time, and think
as how the prohibition is getting in its work.
am sorry to say this, for l have always
been one OF the kind as thought it was sin
to water whiskey, or even put sugar into IL. !"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Real Neigh bOrly.

The family had just moved into the
neighborhood, and their social status
had not yet been defined, when small!
boy appeared at the nearest house and
politely said.
"Ma's complermcnts, an ken yer loan
her fryin' PAM" ,,
Tho frying pan was duly loaned, and
~ few moments back came the boy.
"Ma's complermcnts-kin yer let her
hev pound of pork to grease the PAM.
After some delibcratlon the pork was
given, and the neighbars were fGhearslng e
tbe circumstances when again the small
.Ma's complermcnts, an hev vera sup
of tea to wash down the pork" =.
But they drew the line at tea.--Detr'@
Free Press.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Bills in His Desk.

Pretty Cousin Gn young lawyers Office
-"That is beautiful desk, Charley"
Young lawyer (complacently)- eyes,
and it's 80 convenient. That pigeon
hole, you see, Maude, is marked Bills
Payable, the next one sBills Receivable
and
Pretty Cousin-"What quantity of
Bills Payable, Charley"
Young lawyer-"Well-er-Yes."
Pretty Cousin-"And the Bills Re-
ceivable pigeon-hole is quite empty"
Younglawyer-'Er-a-a-wcll, haven't
got the desk fixed up yet, Maude."
Pretty Cousin-"Ohw- w-Epoch.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Blood Will Tell.

Charlie, aged eight, brought home a
sinking yellow pup, bow-leggcd, droop-
ing-taied and shamc-faccd. He cared
for it tenderly, fixed dry-goods box in
the back yard for kennel, and on every
possible occasion exhibited the animal
proudly. His sister, Ella, age eighteen,
asked him facetiously:
"Where did you get that dog2'
81 bought him from man for twenty
five cents" with the pride of ownership.
"Mcrcy! The idea of paying twenty
five cents for that horrible bcast"
Charles eyes flashed Indignantly.
"He isn't horrid. That shows how much
n GIRL knows. The man told me he is
full -blooded cur. ."-Puyoli0.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
TEMPERANCE.
The Price of a Drink.

give cents glass; Does any ono think
That this is really the price of a drink!
Give cents glass;" Iheard you say,
"Why, that isn't very much to pay"
All, no, indeed, It's very small sum :,
You are passing over 'twixt finger and
thumb:
And if that were all that you gave away,
It wouldn't be very much to pay.
The price of drink! Let him decide
Who has lost his courage and lost his Iride;
And lies a agroveling heap of clay,
Not far removed from beast to-day.
The price of drink Let that one tell
Who sleeps tonight in a murderer's cell,
And feels within him the fires of hell.
Honor and virtue, love and truth,
All the glory and pride Of youth,
Hopes OF manhood, the wreath Of fame,
High endeavor and noble aim.
These are the treasures thrown away
As the price of drink, from day to day.
"Five cents a glass;" How Satan laughed,
As over the bar the young man quaffed
The beaded liquor, for the demon knew
The terrible work that drink would dol
And before the morning the victim lay
With his life blood swiftly ebbing away;
And that was the price he paid, alas!
for tne pressure Oh IahlllS Sociu Sllss.
The price of a drink! If you want to know
What some are willing to pay for it, go
Through that wretched tenement over there,
With dingy windows and broken stair,
Where foul disease, like a vampire crawls
With outstretched wings DER the mouldy
walls.
There poverty dwells with her hungry brood,
Wild-eyed as demons for lack Of food;
There shame, in a corner, crouches low;
There violence deals its cruel blow;
The innocent ones are thus accursed
To pay the price of another's thirst
give cents glass;" Oh, if that were all,
The sacrifice would, indeed, be small!
But the moneys worth is the least amount
We pay; and whoever will keep account
Will learn the terrible waste and blight
That follows the ruinous appetite.
Give cents glass!' Does any one think
That is really the price of drink?
Josephine Pollard, in Harper's Bazar.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
She Felt So, Too.

"Laura," said the young man, despair
ingly, II know it is growing late, but
this may be the last evening l shall ever
see you. If there is no hope for me,
Laura-if your answer this night is o
final one-there is no happiness for me
In this world except in the grave. Wide
md deep it yawns before me, but 1 fear
it not. 1t yawns'-
$50 do l, George; so do l." said Laura,
wearily.-Chiag0 Tribune.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
The Burglar Was in Luck.

Mr.. Poots-"Where is that burglar,
Maria2 Where is he2 Where's the
villain gomez"
Mrs. Poots-"Gone to the station
house. Oh, dear, I'm so distracted. A
policeman came and took him. Oh, John,
why did you leave me all alone when the
alarm rung and run into the garrett"
"Why did 1 run into the garrett I
keep my arms in the garret, that's why"
"But you've been gone an hour"
"Took over an hour to oil up my gun
and grind my hatchet. But it's lucky
for the burglar that my aims were not
in order.-It1as Sytings.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
Hanpiness All Round.

Bobby had been pretty good little
BOY all day and his father was very much
pleased.
"You will find, Bobby" said the old
man, that virtue is its own reward. /
mean that every time you do what you
ought to do you will feel good over it.
Do you understand"
"Oh, yes," responded Bobby, intelli-
gently, land now, pa, if you'll give me
another piece of pie you'll feel good, too. !"
-Mtw Nrk Sun.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07

Certain hollows in hard sandstone near
Lima, Peru, were ascribed by Lyell to
ancient sea.action before the rocks were
elevated above ocean level. A resident
observer, however, finds the hollows to
be still increasing in size and number,
and believes them to be due to cleavage
caused by the growth of lichen which
live on the rocks,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07

$50 you are an artist" said the talka-
tive old lady to the young man whom she
met on the train.
"Yes, madam"
81 suppose you have many difficulties
in your profession, don't you?"
Yes replied the young man meekly,
"there are great many posers. "-Mer-
hGnt- Traueler.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07

According to DR.. B. W. Richardson, if all
the public houses in the United Kingdom
were grouped together, they would make
q city of >lS0, 600 houses, with 90O, 900 inhab-
itants, and with attendants and frequenters,
of q city the size of London.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
1.-THE Captain Was Drunk"

1.-THE Captain was Drunk" is the headline
given an article referring to the disaster Of
the "Vernon" on Lake Michigan. This is
short time. Such criminal negligence merits
too precious to I've thus trihed with under the
reason and without principle. However, tho
Government tolerates it. and no action is
taken against the drunken wretches; and
those who declare their opposition to the sale
of that producing this result are pronounced
fanatics. 1t is probable that were the world
peopled with few more fanatics" there
might be less misery, and fewer disasters, as
well as gratifying decrease in that disease
known as general cussedness.-WeSt Grove
PENN EndeDendpnt
Temperance News and Notes.
The Queen Regent of Spain has prohibited
the Importation, manufacture or sole OF I'M
pure alcohol.
The National Women's Christian Temper
ance Union held its annual convention at
Nashville, Tenn, November 10th to 2Oth
inclusive.
A Chair of Political Economy ard Scien-
tific Temperance, the first Of its kind, has
been created in the Memorial College at
Athens, Tennessee, and the Rev. W. w. Sat-
terlee aprointed to 6ll it
The Cumberland Presbyterian, Of Nash
vile. saws: There are three hundred Cum
berland Presbyterian ministers in Tennessee,
and there is not one Of this number, so far as
we know who Is not Prohibltlonlst.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-07
BUDGET OF FUN.
HUMOROUS SKETCHES FROM
VARIOUS SOURCES.

Many Diff1culties-She Felt So. Too
Happiness All Round-The Fa-
theirs Complaint-The Bur-
glar Was In Luck. Etc.